​It’s widely believed that the Pittsburgh Penguins have shown strong interest in Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson this offseason, with Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas reportedly pursuing him through trades. The intrigue was evident when Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza carefully addressed Robertson on July 1, emphasizing that the team has “done lots of work and inquired on lots of different players” in recent weeks and will continue to explore all options, adding that “Jason’s obviously a good player that lots of teams have interest in, and we’re going to continue to investigate everything that’s out there.” That cautious phrasing is about as close as team executives come to confirming a specific trade inquiry. This week, Robertson joined a group of 15 players who filed for arbitration as a restricted free agent, a move that prevents teams from signing him to an offer sheet. Among the filed names are Xavier Bourgault, Kirby Dach, Jamie Drysdale, Jet Greaves, Alex Jefferies, Peyton Krebs, Connor McMichael, and others, according to David Pagnotta. The Dallas Stars are hopeful of avoiding arbitration, since signing an arbitration award could make Robertson an unrestricted free agent after next season, though trade options or a renegotiated extension remain on the table. ESPN’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on the Monday edition of 32 Thoughts that there remains a “gap” in talks, with Dallas in the $12–12.5 million range and Robertson seeking around $14 million. This ongoing dynamic makes Robertson a continuing focal point for the Penguins this offseason, especially if Dallas cannot finalize a deal. Stay tuned to THN’s Pittsburgh Penguins coverage for the latest news, roster moves, and player features.